Let's make this month all about celebrating how fabulous we feel, right now! Sure, we have our ups and downs with IP, but we are looking and feeling so much better. Our lifelong success depends on learning to love and care for ourselves. So happy February

5th month? Yikes, I started October 20 so I guess I'm still in my 4th month until Feb 20. We've all come so far since October. So glad I made the decision to start this program. Can't wait to be finished it too and start my new life in maintenance!

Let's hope this is a great month for all our scales!! Can't believe we are coming up to 5 months. I am definately looking forward to being done, but I will continue on and keep losing. My goal is to be at goal by July 1st.

Thanks Slip for setting up our next months thread. It is so wonderful to be able to keep in touch with everyone! 's for all the ladies (and gent) of our IP group. So, in consideration of us being on this journey, what's the most significant thing you've noticed as a change since starting IP??

For me it's not so much about size in clothing (clothes still stink) it's the shrinking digits.. I'm just 17lbs away from being in the 200's... I haven't weighed in the 200's since my freshman year of high school... seriously.. 24 years.. It was a huge realization for me.. and I'm so excited to be giving away the emotional baggage that comes with all these pounds!

Scale was down a pound this morning, first time that I have seen that number in 12 years

Biggest changes: I can see and feel my hip bones.
I can cross my legs easily.
I get dressed quickly because clothes fit.
I am happier overall.
I don't feel invisible in the world anymore.

Steph, the irony of losing this weight in winter? I am constantly wearing big bulky sweaters, because they have lowered the thermostat in my classroom. My buddy was wearing his parka in his classroom. I hate being cold, so I come home and crank my heat which means bucko $$$ on my oil bill.

Scale was down a pound this morning, first time that I have seen that number in 12 years

Biggest changes: I can see and feel my hip bones.
I can cross my legs easily.
I get dressed quickly because clothes fit.
I am happier overall.
I don't feel invisible in the world anymore.

Steph, the irony of losing this weight in winter? I am constantly wearing big bulky sweaters, because they have lowered the thermostat in my classroom. My buddy was wearing his parka in his classroom. I hate being cold, so I come home and crank my heat which means bucko $$$ on my oil bill.

So glad that I have friends to share this journey with.

Congrats on the loss this morning! You must feel great! I too feel less invisible - I have so much more confidence and feel more "worthy" of being a human being. Sounds a bit harsh but all I wanted to do was hide in shame when I was at my highest. Never again!

Kawaii: I find new numbers on the scale so exciting, and it amazes me how long ago I saw that number.

Luccilove: I am cold all the time too, which stinks but I keep telling myself that being cold is better then warm and fat!!! LOL

Slipfree: Another pound bites the dust!!

Steph: I don't think it sounds harsh, I think it was true for alot of us.

I think the biggest change for me is my confidence. I am also starting to realize how far I have come, how much work it has been to get where I am(which is a positive thing), and how much smaller my body is then it was back in Oct.

So here's a question for you all. You're the ladies I feel like I can confide in and I need some girlfriend advice. Have any of you had troubles in your relationships because of your newfound confidence? Hubby is doing the diet with me and that's great! He's made it to goal weight, and is now on phase 2. The changes with me have been different. I feel like I'm not relying on him as much to "help".. I want to prove to myself that I can do things. And I find that I'm getting frustrated at him quite frequently now. When I talk with him, I find that I just want to vent, and he's always trying to "fix" things. To make my life easier, because he wants to be nice.. but I've had so many years of "nice" that I want (actually NEED) to prove to myself that I can stand on my own two feet.

I think this sounds like I'm pushing him away, and maybe in some ways I am, but I've talked with him and said the words that I said earlier here in this post. Sometimes I'm just looking to vent, I don't want you to fix it. He says "oh, ok", and goes right back to trying to come up with fixes... ARGH!!!

I love him to pieces, and I'm sure that we will work through this. I just was asking if any of you had similar issues, or if this is just in my head..

Some of that is the difference in the way men & women communicate.
Women sometimes just want to vent. This is best done with the girls b/c guys are more results oriented. When we vent to them they're looking for what they can fix so we are happy.

I have to be really careful to tell DH I don't want or need him to do anything except listen because up in just venting. Otherwise he wants to fix whatever is "broken"

Made some yummy things for dinner.
Pan fried shrimp: shrimp dipped in egg and coated with crushed garlic soy chips, then pan fried in a tiny bit of garlic olive oil. Used low sodium soy sauce and a little Dijon mustard for a dipping sauce.

Made some yummy things for dinner.
Pan fried shrimp: shrimp dipped in egg and coated with crushed garlic soy chips, then pan fried in a tiny bit of garlic olive oil. Used low sodium soy sauce and a little Dijon mustard for a dipping sauce.

Blended and then cooked in a waffle iron and topped with WF blueberry syrup.

That does sound delicious! Do you use you waffle iron a lot? I've never had one but I see lots of good recipes on here and when I've tried doing pancakes instead, it's been a bit of a disaster!! Thinking I might get one.

I was given a Cuisinart grill/griddle for Christmas and the waffle iron plates. I love it! I was not a fan of the crispy cereal pancakes either, but I do like the texture and taste of the waffles. Was surprised at how much I liked the WF blueberry syrup too.

Off to Ikea and Whole Foods today. These stores are an hour away from home. Going to look for: Bubbies pickles, frozen rhubarb, and aminos. Is there anything else IP friendly that you find at Whole Foods?